


Ignite

by DearLazerBunny



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VI: The Last Jedi, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-18 18:22:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14219022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearLazerBunny/pseuds/DearLazerBunny
Summary: After an accident aboard Starkiller Base, someone unexpected proves invaluable help





	1. Chapter 1

Today your assignment was the flight deck, training a rookie to fix TIE Fighters. Not the worst job in the world, though you typically preferred to work alone. You were a senior engineer aboard Starkiller; your work spoke for itself. You didn’t need anyone else mucking it up.

Still, orders are orders. You fastened your tool belt high up on your waist and began the long trek to the flight deck. Everything so far away on this damn ship. You touched the nearest wall affectionately, giving it a little pat of encouragement. You didn’t really mean it. This bucket of bolts was your pride and joy; taking care of it was a pleasure.

“Am I interrupting something?” A synthetic voice emanated from behind you, and you took great pains not to flinch like everyone else aboard always seemed to do. Turning around, you looked Kylo Ren in the eye- or where his eyes would be, if not for the mask- and grinned a little.

“No, sir. Just having a little moment of appreciation.’

Normally you wouldn’t dare joking to a senior officer, but the knight seemed… different. Not quite part of command, not quite part of the rest of the ship. He was a loner, and from what you could tell, he didn’t have any friends whatsoever. In meetings you attended he always sat alone, speaking to no one. When he travelled with the other Knights, they seemed friendly enough between themselves, but perhaps feared their leader too much to include him in the camaraderie.

That was when you had made the decision that you were not going to be afraid of him. A man has to know he isn’t a monster walking around on two legs. That people care. “How are you today, sir?”

Any time you spoke with him, he always seemed a little taken aback. “I am fine. And yourself?”

“Just peachy!” You nodded down the hallway. “Are you walking this way?”

He nodded silently, and the two of you began marching down the corridor. You supposed it looked a bit comical- a man in a mask and black clothes, over six feet tall, walking next to a slip of a thing who already had oil stains on their hands. But you were grateful for the company, silent as it was, and you told yourself he probably was too.

“Are you not afraid of me?”

You looked over, surprised. On the rare times you caught him in a good mood, he still didn’t say much. “No. Should I be?”

“Yes.” His voice was flat and monotone, amplified by the synth coming through his mask.

“Well… unless you come at me with that fancy stick of yours, I don’t see any reason to.” You smiled a little at your own joke before turning off the exit towards the flight deck. “See ya later?”

There never was a response to that one, which you supposed was fair. He was a commander, he had better things to do than run around conversing with a random engineer. But still he never blew you off, even when you asked him way too many questions. The truth is you were a bit fascinated with him. He was an enigma, a mystery, and you were trained to solve mysteries, pull out the broken pieces, and put them back together again. You only hoped one day that helmet of his would short circuit so you could take a crack at it.

The rookie immediately stood out to you, because he was the only one standing by your squadron with a terrified look on his face, poking tentatively at wires that was _definitely not what you’re supposed to be poking-_

“Okay! Let’s step away from that shall we?” He nodded eagerly and backed up several inches, looking relieved to be rescued. “Now then, I’m Y/N. And you are?”

He gave his name and a little about his background, which wasn’t much to be honest, but hey, you’d worked with less. You started him off easy by checking the connections to the dashboard while you took a crack at the more complex engine seated underneath the rig. Everything looked fine.

“Hey, come down here and take a look at this with me. Learning time!”

He slid under and you began pointing out various pieces and parts, noting which usually needed the most repairs and which were tried-and-true. He seemed eager and a good listener, so you let him poke around himself, getting hands on with the machine.

“What’s this?”

“DON’T TOUCH THAT!”

You immediately slid both of you out from under the rig into the blinding light. Standing, you gave him a hand up. “Sorry about that. That’s just where the gas mixes with the nuclear and you don’t want to mess with that unless you really, really have to.”

He looked frightened (he kind of should be) but moved on, working on the outer parts while you finished up underneath. There was this insistent beeping coming from somewhere- usually just meant a connection was bad- so you tightened everything again, confused when it didn’t stop.

“Hey, new guy. Do you hear that? Where’s it coming from?”

“Um, up here? I think.”

Up there?

You climbed into the cockpit and scanned the dash for any warning signs, and you finally caught one right at the very end.

The fusion chamber.

 _Shit_.

“Everybody out!” You hurled yourself out of the cockpit and yelled another warning to the units surrounding you, who immediately backed off to the other side of the room. Rookie looked confused.

“What’s going on? Did I do something?”

“I don’t know, but the-”

 _Whoom_.

Red and blue flames ate at your vision as you were sent sailing forward, eventually landing on the ground sprawled like a rag doll. There was a high pinched keening noise coming from somewhere on your left- oh, no. That was you. Screaming. Your entire body was on fire. You heard other people too, you thought, and alarms blaring up above you. Everything was red. Dimly, you were aware of people scrambling around you, and yelling at each other. Your limbs gave out when you tried to get up, and you crashed to the floor, leading to another shriek of pain.

  
“Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god what do I do? What do I do? Somebody help! I need help!”

Newbie. He was kneeling at your side, trying to lay his hands on you. Or trying to bat something out.

“You let medical do their job. Out of the way.”

He was pushed aside by someone in white, who nimbly put fingers on your neck to find a fluttering pulse. “She’s alive. Get me a stretcher!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: No, I did not look up the science of how TIE Fighters work, I just came up with something that sounded vaguely impressive; don’t @ me


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an accident aboard Starkiller Base, someone unexpected proves invaluable help

The buzzing of the comm woke you from a fitful sleep. You groaned, feeling the burned skin pull and stretch as you reached for the answer button. Despite the bandages holding on creams and the pills upon pills you’d swallowed at the doctor’s insistence, nothing seemed to be quelling the dry pain rolling through your body.

It’d been four days since the accident, and nothing seemed to be getting any better. If anything, things were getting worse.

“This is Y/L/N. Go ahead.”

“Y/N Y/L/N has been requested, effective immediately.” The voice was staticky but firm, brooking no argument.

“Request to defer.” It was 2AM, you were in pain, and it wasn’t looking like you would be able to put on a proper shirt, much less complete a maintenance request. Sometimes, if you were sick (or were particularly hungover… don’t tell anyone) you could defer a request to another mechanic a few times a year. It was only to be used in emergencies and, well. You never deferred. If someone was requesting you, it was a serious issue. But you’d been put on medical’s do-not-call list, so you imagined this was just a mistake.

“Negative. Y/L/N was requested specifically; medical override. Your presence is requested as soon as possible.”

God damnit. “Message received. Please stand by.”

How were you going to do this?

You still had your trousers on; you hadn’t been nimble enough with your fingers to undo the buttons and zippers required to take them off. A plain tank hugged your body and helped keep the bandages wrapping your back in place, the thin white cotton doing nothing to hide the bulkiness around your middle. Carefully, you used the palms of your hands to push yourself off the mattress and winced as your heels hit the floor, sending a jolt throughout your body. An oversized shirt was hanging on a hook by your pod and you grabbed it, sliding it on over your hips to avoid raising your shoulders as much as possible. You’d borrowed one of your friend’s shirts that was two sizes too large, to avoid the fabric from rubbing. The boots were hopeless, so you just tucked the laces into the top and left them.

You grabbed your tool belt and hooked it on the lowest possible buckle so it practically was falling off your hips, avoiding your lower back. All in all, you looked a right mess, and no respectable First Order officer would ever go around looking like you did just then. But if they were going to call you off medical leave they were going to get what they were going to get.

The troopers who had been sent to escort you actually looked vaguely sympathetic when you emerged in your pathetic state. They led you down the hallway at a pace you could keep up with, politely ignoring your occasional groans of frustration you released ambling behind them. It wasn’t quite agony, yet, but the pain was slowly ratcheting up with every step you took and you really, really just wanted to get this over with so you could go back to your bunk and continue screaming silently into your pillow.

You recognized the sector they were leading you to. Command’s private quarters. That would explain the medical override: command had the clearance and many of them were huge dicks that wouldn’t care about overriding medical. Typical. The door they left you in front of was huge and imposing and made you sigh internally.

“Hello? You requested Y/N Y/L/N from engineering?”

There was no reply, but the door slid open. You readied a greeting but there was no one at the door, strangely. You walked in a few paces. The room was spacious, mostly done in metal and black. No furniture or décor, which was odd for an upper class officer, but to each his own. Only a large bed with black satin sheets holding a man curled on his side, hands in his hair.

“Um… Sir? I believe you requested me?”

A head moved underneath the mass. “I did.”

“…okay. So is there something you need fixed?” You tried not to let irritation bleed into your voice, but it was proving difficult as your tool belt continuously weighed on your body.

“You.”

“I- excuse me, sir?”

The man sat up. A mass of black curls flew every which way, and his eyes were bloodshot. “You. You need to be fixed.”

“I- I don’t understand.”

He put a careful hand on his back, slowly, exactly where the heat was throbbing under your skin. “I can hear you. You’re screaming in your sleep. The pain… I can feel it.”

What the fuck?

“I’m in your head.” The man gently touched his temple. “And I can’t get out.” He looked at you wildly. “You’re crying, even now. The bandages feel like a vice.”

“I-” Wait. “ _Kylo_?”

The man- _Kylo_ \- grimaces. “You don’t recognize me. Of course you don’t. Why would you?”

“Why the fuck are you in my head?”

“I don’t know!” He stands and begins to pace, and in that simple movement you begin to see the imposing commander who stalks the halls every day. The was he holds his hands, how he towers over everything in his path. He was definitely one in the same. “Ever since the explosion I’ve felt you… I could sense it the instant it happened. The pain… was extraordinary.”

You grunted, still in disbelief. “I know. I was there.”

“I know.” He sounded simultaneously exasperated and sorrowful, and his voice was thick. “I’m so sorry Y/N. I wasn’t there to stop it.”

“Stop it? Kylo, I’m an engineer. Shit happens. I don’t know why you’d even be on the flight deck unless-”

“Stop it.” He turns to you, and you can hear the almost-tears in his voice. “You’re in pain. I can’t stand it.”

“I-” you paused. You needed to digest. This was all incredibly new information. The intimidating commander who scared everyone shitless day in and day out- except for you- was actually a guy with soulful brown eyes and great hair and he actually cared? About you?

“I can help.”

“You-” you shook your head, pulling yourself out of your thoughts. “You can what now?”

“I can help.” He moves a little closer, so close you can see the lines on his face from years of tension. “I can make you… let you sleep.”

“How…?” Oh. Oh. Your eyes widened. “With the..?” You gestured a hand in midair.

That earned you a little smile, and you were surprised at how much it tugged on your heart. “Yes. With that.”

“Will- it hurt?”

“No. I would never do anything to hurt you.” He looks at you, and you stare back, hearing his words echoing around in your brain. “It would be just like-”

“-falling asleep.” Unconsciously, your head tilted to the side, considering this strange new option, but the motion sent a ripple of pain down your spine and you almost cried out at the motion. God, you were tired. You wanted to not be in pain. You wanted to just stop.

“Why are you helping me?”

He looked at you strangely, like you should already know the answer. “You’ve always been kind to me. You’re not… afraid, of me. You cared enough to make me feel like a person. And I want to return the favor.”

“Okay.”

He seemed surprised, but he quickly schooled his features. “Okay?”

“Should I…” You gestured to the floor. “What’s going to happen?”

“It’ll be just like this.” Kylo gently tapped his pointer and middle finger against his temple.

Sudden apprehension rose within you. “I don’t-”

“I won’t hurt you.” His eyes were somber as they looked into yours. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

And somehow, you believed him.

“I- okay.”

He came close, resting one hand feather-light on your left shoulder to steady you. “Okay?” His other hand began to rise, and you panicked, trying to subtly twist out of his grip.

“No, I- I need to sit down or-”

The moment his hand touched your cheek it was like falling into a pool of deep water. No, not falling- floating. Warm, clear water, enveloping you from all sides as it supported you. The burning immediately ceased, and you felt like you could breathe for the first time since the accident.

And right in the very end, just before slipping away, a disembodied voice spoke softly in your head. “Don’t worry. I’ll catch you.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an accident aboard Starkiller Base, someone unexpected proves invaluable help

When you woke, the first thing you noticed was softness. Everywhere. Black silk sheets were carefully wrapped around your body where you lay on the mattress, turned carefully to avoid laying on any wounds on your back. A pillow was underneath your head, hair tucked away from your neck. The room was still. The only thing you could hear was your own quiet breathing. It was less labored than it was when you…fell asleep.

You sat up a little. Flexed your shoulders experimentally. The burn was still there, but definitely less irritating. It didn’t make you want to skin yourself alive anymore. Looking around the room, the only thing you could see was a black curly head peeking out from the mattress on the other side of the bed. He was sitting on the floor, facing away from you, head resting against the mattress.

“You’re awake.”

“Yes.” You turned, carefully, so you could see him better. “Have you been sitting there the whole time?”

His head angled so you could see the barest hint of his face. “Yes. I didn’t want anyone disturbing you.”

A moment passed. “Thank you.”

He nodded, barely. “You’re welcome.”

You lay back down on the pillow, enjoying the easiness that permeated the air. It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. It was still, and warm, and you had to keep yourself from falling asleep again.

“I don’t want to leave,” you confessed. Leaving meant going back to the cold sterility of medical for another round of pills and changing bandages and antibiotic shots that made your skin itch.

“You don’t have to. If you do not wish.”

If felt wrong to snuggle up to pillows in a commander’s bed, but that’s exactly what you did, burrowing further into the covers like your life depended on it. You didn’t think you’d ever felt this relaxed. Or safe.

Before you could change your mind, you leaned over the side of the bed and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, then backed away again before you could do anything else stupid.

“Thank you. Kylo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I haven’t felt much like writing lately, so it’s nice to put something up. If you liked this, give me a shout here or on my tumblr of the same name, dearlazerbunny.tumblr.com. Cheers!


End file.
